WON -"- I oro-:- 73 oo -;;- s: ?s CD -:;- ^;,r% ~ -::• -n ro -;:- 1 o w O •"- -J mi— H-^ -"- o r~ t—i *•* -"- 0- O03l-J0 CF» » > >-^T; <*3Q 1 m-<-t-^3 o —1 pjr~ i CLARK, NJ..VOL. 13 NO. 27 THURSDAY, APRIL 3,2003 myclark.com TWO SEGTiO II 1 Teacher looks at war in Iraq and how the media cov c By David Learn picture — one of an American soldier "Most of them have the views of Managing Editor carrying a wounded comrade over his their parents, to be honest," Dougher- The face of modern warfare shoulder from a helicopter to an ty said. "They're mostly supportive in comes at us from the television, the ambulance — in a positive Sight. what they're saying." radio and the newspaper. "They're helping each other when So far, discussions like the ones in That information, and how wethey're hurt," was Dent's take on the Dougherty's classroom -— and infor- interpret it regarding the ongoing war picture. mal discussions among students — in Iraq is a topic history teacher Den- But one student confessed himself have been the extent of the school's nis Dougherty is asking his students less impressed by the sacrifices of treatment of the war. at Arthur L. Johnson High School to wartime after seeing a photo of a sol- "They were a little jittery before confront at the start of class each day. dier opening a bag of Goldfish snacks the start of the war, quite honestly, but Students are required to bring to sent in a care package. the concerns seem to have settled now class a news picture about the war, "I (had) thought it was all war, and that the war is going on, and it's not and to describe the picture and what you can't get in contact with anyone on our soil," said Principal Robert it portrays, and how it has influenced but their leaders," said the student. Taylor. "If we were in Howell right their views of the war. Beyond discussion of how war- now, I'm sure our concerns would be A bulletin board in the back of the related news is presented, Dougherty a little different." classroom is filled with such photos, led his students Monday afternoon on The school's guidance staff have and claj.s begins with a look at how a discussion of the war itself, such as the resources to deal with war-related those images shape our views of the the suicide bombing Sunday by an fears should they arise, but at the war. Iraqi officer that killed four U.S. sol- moment, students are more concerned "I'm going to say that this picture diers, including a 23-year-old from with college admissions and scholar- shows compassion," Dougherty said Howell. ships than they are about the threat of Monday morning, holding aloft a pic- "These appearances of these homi- another terror attack. ture of an American in military uni- cide bombers ... they've changed the "1 think the first sign of anything form treating an Iraqi. "Now some rules of engagement," Dougherty told happening in our country would trig- other person who may not favor the his students. "They're saying if peo- ger the type of concerns you're point- war could say 'Americans killing ple don't stop, you can shoot them." ing to," Taylor said. innocents."' Class discussion Monday also In the event of a terror attack that The latter interpretation assumes moved to the homefront, where some hulu Iiv Jo^epii Soirentino affects the area, school district admin- that the Iraqi needed help because of peace activists have spoken out History teacher Dennis Dougherty holds aloft a recent news photo from the war front as istrators have prepared a crisis-man- injuries sustained in the American against the war. he leads students in a discussion of how media shape perceptions of the combat. agement response that involves lock- military campaign against Saddam "Do American citizens have the ing traffic by lying down in the road. points class than a course that has asked. "The idea is to teach them to ing down the schools until the red Hussein. right to protest the war?" Dougherty alert is over. Others agreed there is validity been focusing on the terms of previ- be good citizens, good participatory The problem with such a view, asked. even to peaceful protests in Washing- ous presidents, but Dougherty — a citizens." District schools have enough food Dougherty is quick to point out, is the "Yes," came the reply as five stu- and water available to last for days. ton, D.C., that require heavy a police retired colonel in the National Guard Dougherty's personal feeling is lack of a visible wound, suggesting dents raised their hands to signal their "In a different era, I'm sure the the Iraqi was ill before coalition support for a right to protest. "Peace- presence. — has been holding discussions in that the effort to topple Saddam's seniors would be concerned about troops arrived and was not injured in fully," one student added. A discussion of the war in iraq each of his classes. regime is justified as part of the larg- getting drafted," said Taylor. "I think an attack. None of the students agreed with might seem like an odd topic better "How can you teach history and er war on terror, and that's a position the constant influx of information has Sophomore Joe Dent also saw his the tactic of some protesters of block- suited for Dougherty's Global View- not teach about the every day?" he he thinks most of his students share. been a bit of a calming influence." Where the wild things are By David Learn amphibian species that also use Hatthery in Ha*:kettsto,\vn. iMar.aging Editor vernal pools for breeding but can "We know that historically To many people, the thin reproduce in other ponds unsuit- there have been spring peepers stretch of open space between able for obligate breeders because along the Robinson Branch," said Winfield and Clark along the Rah- of predatory fish. Ecologists call Fidurski. "You never know until way River isn't worth much. such amphibians facultative vernal you get there. You can run into The land technically is a county pool breeders. anything from coelacanth, which park, but it's not a park that's The presence of either sort of 'never existed'" — discovered in bursting with activity. There are amphibian is enough to register the 1938, coelacanths come from a lin- no playing fields or tennis courts, vernal pool. eage of fish species that had been and right now the ground is fairly "In order to compete, a lot of considered to have been extinct for wet — ali of which is why it could the frogs and salamanders breed in 80 million years — "to spring be an ideal location for some of the these ponds of water that dry up peepers, which are pretty much state's native amphibian species. seasonally as an adaptive mecha- ubiquitous." Bill Fidurski of Hillcrest Drive, nism so they can survive in the The salamander and frog chairman of the Clark Environ- wild," said Fidurski. "If they had species Fidurski will look for are mental Commission, hopes to find to compete with fish, they couldn't largely nocturnal, which will com- out if it is. Fidurski is taking part -do it." plicate the search — especially the in a statewide volunteer survey of Fidurski got involved in the salamanders, which do not make vernal pools — so called because program several months ago the shrill mating call that male they are pools of water usually through the state Department of spring peepers are known for. found only during the spring -— Environmental Protection and its "If there's a good population, with the end goal of protecting the Wildlife Conservation Corps. you generally can see them swim- pools from development larger "There was a newspaper article ming under the surface of the wetlands are spared. that they needed people to help water," Fidurski said of the sala- "You really never know," said them do the salamander and frog manders. "You basically can take a rjiuiu lay jvtieyU bui Feiii Fidurski. "You can find threatened survey," said Fidurski. "I figured I flashlight and spot the salamander Bill Fidurski of Hillcrest Drive kneels beside one of the vernal pools found in the county and endangered species, and you should volunteer in case there were or her eggs." parkland along the Rahway River. Such seasonal wet spots could be home to some of might not." any sites in Clark that they need Fewer than 10 percent of the New Jersey's native amphibian species. New Jersey is home to seven surveyed." state's vernal pools have been An older act, the New Jersey DEP. As a result, there is nothing are gone, but if they are, it would different species of amphibian — Participation in the program has mapped, according to the DEP. Freshwater Wetlands Protection to stop vernal pools from being be a loss to the area, he said. two frogs and five salamanders — taken about 12 hours so far, all State legislation adopted in Sep- Act has been in effect since 1989, filled in, drained or otherwise dis- "Once you remove a species, considered obligate vernal pool before Fidurski was able to begin tember 2001 extends wetlands pro- but does not protect vernal pools turbed with general permits. you begin to remove your natural breeders, or species that can breed looking for amphibians.